


Golden Saucer Carnival

by coconutbreeze



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, First Dates, First Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:15:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24886687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coconutbreeze/pseuds/coconutbreeze
Summary: Cloud and Aerith get to spend time together at a visiting carnival during the next stop of their journey.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough & Cloud Strife, Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 16
Kudos: 72





	1. Leaving Midgar

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've written anything, so please bear with me. Wanted to write this after falling in love with FFVII Remake and the dynamic between Cloud and Aerith! Hope you enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've written anything, so please bear with me. Wanted to write this after falling in love with FFVII Remake and the dynamic between Cloud and Aerith! Hope you enjoy.

After leaving Midgar, the team was off on their next adventure. They traveled north through the great plains at the crack of dawn allowing themselves plenty of time to reach the sleepy city of Kalm. Their plan was to meet up with one of Barret’s contacts from AVALANCE, seeing as Sector 7 needed new plans to rebuild. Barret and Red XIII were engrossed in conversation about their favorite types of food, while Tifa and Aerith were discussing future plans once they returned to Midgar. This left Cloud alone to his thoughts, following behind the group as their lookout.

Cloud reflected on the past few days. They successfully saved Aerith from the clutches of Shinra and Hojo and were now on another mission to track down Sephiroth. There were so many unknowns that lay ahead of them, and the mere thought of this future weighed heavily on his mind.

 _Aerith_.

The thought of her caused Cloud to falter slightly. They hadn’t had a chance to properly talk alone since the rescue, and it made him all the more anxious for when they did. He didn’t know when it happened, but the mysterious flower girl penetrated through the densest of walls that he put around himself. After all they had been through together, he felt inexplicably drawn to her unbridled optimism and her sassy retorts. Whenever the two of them did share a brief glance at each other, she would smile gently back at him, causing his face to flush. He would look away quickly to avoid her seeing his colored cheeks, but did that actually work? Honestly, she knew him better than he knew himself, and he knew he had to be careful lest these evolving feelings be discovered.

He was so lost in his musings that he didn’t notice a certain individual had dropped back alongside of him. After quietly observing him for a few moments, she grinned and grabbed onto the mercenary’s arm, “What are you thinking so intensely about?” she asked in her typical cheery voice.

Cloud jumped back in shock and tried to hide every indication that he was thinking about _her_.

“Nothing…I was just –“

“Guys look over there!” exclaimed Tifa, pointing ahead of them. The sudden outburst was enough to save Cloud from having to explain himself further.

As they approached their destination, they realized there was nothing sleepy about the town. On the city outskirts, a huge display of brilliant tents, various stands, and a Ferris wheel filled the area with a roar of noise from its vendors setting up for the evening.

As they entered the town, Cloud stopped a group passing by.

“Hey, what’s going on out there?”

A lady in the group responded, “You don’t know? Golden Saucer holds a traveling carnival every year. It just so happens that they’re in Kalm for the next few days.”

“A carnival?!” Aerith exclaimed, clasping her hands together in excitement, “I’ve never been to one before, can we go Cloud?”

_We? Just the two of us?_

Cloud lost himself in more of his thoughts until he realized Aerith waiting patiently for his response. He took a moment and tried to coolly respond, “We should focus on what’s ahead of us. Also, Tifa and Barret have a call with Marle and AVALANCE to decide on the future plans for Sector 7, so we should see what’s happening.”

Aerith nodded in agreement, “You’re right, we should focus.”

Cloud quietly observed that although she appeared cheerful, he couldn’t help but notice a hint of disappointment in her eyes. There were signs he was able to pick up from her that he was never really able to notice with anyone else. A wave of guilt caused him to think more about the situation at hand. He didn’t like to dishearten Aerith. Maybe they could spend some time to relax and enjoy this rare moment of serenity before their journey continued. They all needed a break after events that occurred.

“Aerith-” Cloud began calling out her name but was quickly interrupted by Barret’s booming voice from up ahead.

“Guys! The inn’s over here!” waving them over to the structure at the center of the town. Cloud sighed at the missed opportunity. His feelings would have to wait for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! I am trying to work through this concept, but please let me know your thoughts :)


	2. Kalm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team settles into their inn at Kalm to finally relax for a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again everyone! Been trying to write this story out as soon as I start thinking through ideas.
> 
> Please note that this chapter has some light references to both OG FF7 as well as FF7R so please be careful if you do not want spoilers. Hope you enjoy!

What was supposed to be a relaxing and easy stay in Kalm ended up being quite a spectacle. The usual sleepy town was busier than usual due to the carnival in town, and it showed by how many people were staying at the inn. Luckily the group was able to reserve the last two remaining rooms adjacent to each other. They had made good time traveling from Midgar and arrived in the early afternoon. Since the meeting with AVALANCE wasn’t scheduled until the evening, the team planned to finally catch some R&R.

Tifa and Aerith decided to explore the town, while Cloud, Barret, and Red XIII lounged in their room. It felt nice to just relax for once. Cloud closed his eyes lying back on his bed but listened in on Barret’s conversation with Red XIII.

Barret sat in the nearby chair, “Can’t wait until we get this son of a gun Sephiroth and I get to see my daughter Marlene again. You got kids Red?”

The feline creature expressed a pained look, “I’m one of the few remaining of my kind…I have never met another similar to me.”

Barret felt guilty for touching on such a sensitive topic, but tried to stay upbeat, “Well you can meet my Marlene! You’d love her. Aerith’s mom is helping take care of her until we return.”

“I’d like that.” Red XIII replied with a smile.

“The sooner we find Sephiroth, the sooner we can go home. But first - we need to plan how to rebuild Sector 7 with AVALANCHE.” Barrett glanced up at the clock, realizing they needed to leave soon for the meeting. “Shoot we need to get going if we want to eat before meeting the rest of them .”

Cloud jumped up from the bed in preparation to leave but was stopped in his track by Barret’s arm.

“On second thought, why don’t you stay back Cloud? Red, Tifa and I can handle it.” Glancing over at Red XIII, who nodded in agreement.

Cloud thought for a moment, realizing they missed mentioning the remaining member of their party before casually asking, “What about Aerith?”

“We wanted to give you two a little _alone time_.” Barret pulled down his sunglasses and raised his eyebrows at Cloud.

“Huh?” Cloud stuttered.

Barret chuckled, “You think we all don’t notice how you look at her?”

“I’m not familiar with human courtship, but I too noticed” Red XIII replied while stretching on the floor.

“She saved my Marlene from Shinra, and I can never thank her enough for that.” Reflecting back on the events that occurred just a few days ago in Sector 7. “And you remember what Marlene said afterwards to you right? Aerith kept asking all those questions about you. Like what kind of person you are! Now tell me that’s not a clear sign that she’s interested.”

Cloud turned his head away from them, not able to hide the tint filling his cheeks, “Why would she ask all those questions about me”.

Barret and Red XIII looked at each other flabbergasted.

“You’re hopeless.” Red XIII shook his head in disappointment.

“Maybe you should ask her to the carnival.” Barret nudged, gesturing to the scene outside their window, then looked Cloud up and down. "Also, lose the armor and wear something normal. You’d think after all these years you could put some effort into looking presentable for a date instead of like a merc.”

Cloud was crimson by this point, “It’s not a date!”

“Call it whatever you want. I just better hear that she had a good time! Don’t let me down now SOLDIER boy.” Barret laughed as he slapped Cloud’s shoulder before leaving the room with Red XIII.

“Red, you ever try pizza before? I’ve heard they’ve got an amazing pizza joint somewhere around here. I’m thinking maybe some marche, luche…we gotta add all of the toppings!”

* * *

Cloud let out a deep sigh. He had never done this type of thing before, and the pounding in his chest wasn’t making it any easier. He slowly walked next door and waited outside Tifa and Aerith’s room, trying to think of an inconspicuous way to ask her to the carnival.

_What if she doesn’t want to go?_

He ran a hand through his hair while shifting uncomfortably side to side, slowly starting to second guess himself. Cloud’s mind raced through all the possible outcomes, and his anxiety got the best of him.

_Maybe I shouldn’t…maybe it’s better if I just stay in the room for the rest of the night._

“Cloud?” a soft voice called out from down the hall.

He froze, realizing it was _her_ voice. It must have looked strange to see him standing outside her door, zoning out, hand frozen in the air ready to knock against her door.

“What are you doing here? Did you get lost on your way back to your room?” she tilted her head out of curiosity. Her ability to tease him was relentless and what courage that he did manage to gather retreated in a hurry. He tried to think of an excuse to get out of his current predicament. The voice in his head kept shouting at him.

 _Ask her_!

“Did you…eat yet?” he replied lamely, cursing at himself underneath his breath.

She looked amused, knowing that wasn’t what was actually on his mind. She watched as he kept shifting nervously under her gaze before smiling, “Oh, I went to get a snack!” showing him the sandwich that she bought from the bakery next door. “Did you want to split it with me?

“I…already ate” he tried to reply nonchalantly, but his stomach gave off an audible gurgle and exposed his fib.

She giggled and pressed him further, looking deeper into his eyes, “Don’t think I’ll let you off the hook that easily mister, what are you actually doing here?”

He could only think of the one excuse earlier and he was fresh out of ideas. The moment their eyes met though, he was immediately lost in the pools of emerald staring gently back at him and it was as if they hypnotized him into telling her the truth.

“I came to see if you wanted to go with me to the carnival tonight” the words came out of his mouth much quicker than he would have liked, but he immediately felt lighter after _finally_ getting the words out.

She stared at him. For once dumbfounded by him. It was unlike Cloud to be this forward, but it warmed her heart that he was _trying_. Aerith decided to have some fun with this moment and continued to stand there purposely with a blank expression. 

Her lack of reaction caused him to ramble on, “I thought it’d be nice for us to go…since you haven’t been before. I hear it’s supposed to be fun?”

His body coiled like a spring with every passing second, anxiously awaiting her response.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she broke out in a radiant smile. “Really? I thought we needed to focus on what’s ahead of us?” she teased, repeating his earlier excuse for not wanting to going just a few hours ago. She was relentless with her sass, but he loved it. “What about everyone else?”

“They have the meeting with AVALANCHE and can handle it without us.” he clarified. He wasn’t sure how to explain that everyone else decided to conveniently leave the two of them behind. Aerith continued studying his face and let out another giggle that seemed to indicate she already knew what was going on. She held her smile as she moved next to him and stood in front of her door, “That sounds great Cloud. How about I meet you at the carnival entrance at 6? I’ll need some time to get ready.”

Cloud nodded, noticing that their bodies were so close to each other that he could smell her floral scent. She gently grabbed his arm and tippy toed to softly whisper into his ear, “Perfect, it’s a date.” Cloud stared wide eyed with his mouth agape as she entered her room and closed the door behind her, but not before turning around and giving him a quick wink.

He lingered outside of her door for a moment, slowly processing what just happened.

_Put some effort into looking presentable for her!_

Barret’s remark kept echoing in Cloud’s mind, as it finally dawned on him that this _was_ a date. He felt like he was jumping out of one frying pan of anxiety and into another.

_Look presentable for her…_

He stopped and looked at himself in the hallway mirror. It had been years since he wore anything other than his SOLDIER uniform. Armored gloves, pauldron, and sword. That’s the life he knew. After all, there was never an occasion that merited wearing anything else. He hurried down the stairs and out of the inn to look for the nearest clothing shop. If Aerith was putting in the effort of getting ready for him, he would undeniably do everything he could to do the same for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone liked the chapter! I've been playing FF7R a second time and I am digging the Clerith chemistry a second time around :) Please let me know if you have any thoughts!


	3. Date Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud and Aerith both get ready for their date at the carnival! Chapter 3/?
> 
> “Oh I’m sure I’ll hear all about it tonight. Have fun on your date.” She winked before shooing him along. His face burned as he turned to quickly pay for his clothes and left the store. A cool breeze blew through the town square as the sun was starting to set, but Cloud felt the warmth in his cheeks from Tifa’s words.
> 
> Get it together Strife. It’s just a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!! So sorry for the delay in writing this chapter, it has been busy at work and I've also had trouble trying to find the words to describe what I wanted to convey. But I hope you all enjoy it :) !

A wide-eyed Cloud stared at a selection of shirts and pants laid out on the table. The storekeeper slowly explained all the different styles to the merc, who was clearly not up to date with current trends. Casual? Dressy? Who knew shopping for clothes would be so difficult? He could only imagine what Aerith had to go through in order to get ready and had a greater appreciation for what he assumed was an even larger effort.

From the moment he stepped inside the store, he looked out of place as he gathered a few mismatched articles and color combinations. The storekeeper observed Cloud in his overwhelmed state and tried to lighten the mood, “Looking to impress someone tonight?”

Cloud sheepishly acknowledged him, “Yeah...”

A chime rang as the shop door opened, and the storekeeper left Cloud alone to ponder his selections. Cloud’s eyes shifted from shirt to shirt, growing increasingly irritated that he couldn’t decide on anything. Footsteps started to approach him and suddenly a hand lightly slapped his shoulder as a familiar voice rang out.

“I heard you needed some help.”

He quickly turned his head around to find a certain ruby eyed fighter grinning at him. “Tifa? What are you doing here?”

Cloud hastily tried to cover up what he had selected on the counter, embarrassed at how much he was struggling with the task at hand. Looking at the various combinations in front of her, Tifa suppressed a laugh and teased him. “Wow actually…maybe a lot of help. Don’t worry I’m here now. Barret and Red mentioned how I might find you here and I have some time before I need to go back.”

He let out a sigh of relief, appreciative of any help that he could get. Curiously, he needed to know what she had heard from the other two. “What did Barret and Red say exactly?”

“They said you were going on a date.” She mentioned nonchalantly as she started looking through the selection in front of her. “It’s about time Cloud, I’ve noticed how you two have been looking at each other.”

His eyes widened in shock, “How…how long have you noticed?”

 _Was it that obvious to everyone_?

“ _Too_ long - really Cloud?” she paused in order to hold up an obscenely bright t-shirt that he had picked out from earlier and shook her head before putting it away. “None of these will do.”

She continued to walk through the aisle, carefully sifting through the options. “Hmm…how about these?” She had selected a fitted white collared shirt with a dark blue set of slacks for him. “Go try these on and see what you think.”

He nodded and went into the dressing room with her selection. As he dressed, his mind panicked, thinking to what he’d have to do next - meet up with Aerith. Having no prior dating experience, he tried to think about what typically happens on dates. What if he was boring? Would she comment on the lack of conversation? He kept fretting that she wouldn’t enjoy their evening together. Having gotten lost in his thoughts, he realized he was taking too long to finish getting dressed; he quickly exited the dressing room and looked at himself in the mirror.

Tifa carefully observed him, noticing that he looked less flustered than earlier but kept fidgeting with his clothing. She was perplexed, having never seen him this nervous before. Cloud Strife, Ex-SOLDIER first class. He had defeated some of the world’s most ruthless monsters and broke into the Shinra headquarters without any hesitation but lost his cool when it came to the local florist.

He kept trying to adjust his collar, as well as the sleeves that he had buttoned at the wrists, but overall Cloud seemed pleased with Tifa’s choices.

“How does it look?” He inquired, clearly irritated with how tight the shirt was around his neck.

“The difference is night and day!” the storekeeper exclaimed as he poked his head out from the counter.

Tifa had only seen him wear the standard issued SOLDIER uniform ever since they reunited in Sector 7. Prior to that, she only remembered how he dressed when they were kids. This new look made him look much more refined, accenting the features of his finely toned body after years of hard training. He surely developed into a handsome man during their years apart.

“Let me fix a few things.” She giggled, as she moved next to him and reached up to undo the very top button of his dress shirt for a more casual and comfortable look. After taking a step back to see what else needed work, she then undid the buttons on his sleeve cuffs and helped fold them up neatly, stopping at the top of his forearms.

She took a final step back and glanced him up and down before flashing a thumbs up, “Now you look ready.”

Cloud let out a sigh of relief. “What would I do without you?”

“You would’ve worn that monstrosity of a shirt,” she teased, referring to his choice from earlier. She glanced up at the clock. “Better get going if you don’t want to make her wait.”

Cloud nodded with appreciation. “Right, thanks again Tifa. I’ll see you guys back at the inn.”

“Oh I’m sure I’ll hear all about it tonight. Have fun on your _date_.” She winked before shooing him along. His face burned as he turned to quickly pay for his clothes and left the store. A cool breeze blew through the town square as the sun was starting to set, but Cloud felt the warmth in his cheeks from Tifa’s words.

_Get it together Strife. It’s just a date._

As he approached the outskirts of the carnival grounds, he noticed the large crowds from far away. All those people must have been waiting for the gates to open. This meant it was going to be harder for him to find Aerith at the entrance based on the sheer number of bodies between him and where he was supposed to meet her. He quickly scanned ahead, trying to find her in the sea of people. The anticipation of seeing her made his heart rattle inside his chest.

Maybe she was running late and wasn’t actually in front of him? He turned around to glance at the people behind him while walking backwards and couldn’t see any sign of her in that direction either.

He let out a sigh. What are the odds that it would be _this_ crowded at a carnival? Regardless he fought on, knowing that he would push through a hundred of these crowds if he had to in order to find her.

* * *

Aerith patiently waited next to the ticketing booth across the entrance of the carnival. Her eyes shined brightly as she took in all of her surroundings. The jovial Golden Saucer fanfare was blaring through the speakers and spread throughout the grounds. Crowds of families and friends were already waiting at the entrance, chatting happily with each other as they stood in line. Aerith had never seen such a festive event and loved every moment of the experience.

She arrived earlier because she was excited for tonight, and she wanted to make sure that she wasn’t the last one to arrive. Since the entrance gate was already so crowded with people, she moved towards the surprisingly empty ticketing booth that gave her more room to breathe.

While waiting, she thought back to earlier in the day, where she spent the better part of the afternoon getting ready and dressing up for tonight. It had been years since she went on a date, but what made tonight so special was that it was with _him_.

When she first suggested a date in exchange for him being her bodyguard, she did so teasingly. But as they continued to spend time together, she soon realized that her feelings towards him kept growing ever since their fateful encounter. Since then, she appreciated every opportunity the two had to themselves and hoped that he felt the same way.

Tonight would be a perfect chance to get to spend more time with him and to get to know him even better, seeing as everyone else in their group conveniently had other plans.

Her heart raced at the thought of him. He was the one to ask if she wanted to go to the carnival. Not only was this somewhere that she has wanted to go since she was a kid, but this would also be their first date together.

She giggled to herself as she thought back to how he asked her out earlier in the day. Shyly, tripping over his words with a charming nervousness; some of her favorite characteristics of his. In their short time together, she recalled an instance that made him that nervous one time before. In Wall Market, where he saw her in the gorgeous red dress that literally dropped his jaw. She secretly hoped that she’d be able to make it two for two tonight.

She glanced up at the clock above the carnival entrance and noted how it was almost that time. Their night was just about to get started and she couldn’t wait to see how it played out.

* * *

Cloud slowly pushed his way through the crowd for the past few minutes towards the entrance. His eyes panned side to side trying to find a glimpse of Aerith. The crowds however, seemed to get even denser as he approached the front. He searched for a place to stop and get a better view of the crowd, one where he wasn’t constantly bumped or jabbed. There, next to the ticketing booth, he found a pocket of space and eagerly made his way over. Right as he popped out of the horde, he heard a voice call out to him.

Aerith stood a few meters in front of him, her emerald orbs shining brightly as she flashed him a dazzling smile that made his knees weak. She was wearing a flowy light pink sundress, cinched at the waist by a thin belt that matched the darker pink hue of the ribbon in her hair. She let her hair out of the usual braid and tied her hair back with loose tresses that hung elegantly behind her shoulders. The sun had set low enough to bask the area in golden rays, highlighting her figure and causing her to _glow_. Cloud was captivated, awestruck and slowly walked towards her like a moth to a flame. He had to be extra conscious of every step he took since he felt his legs start to give way as he got closer.

Just then, the Kalm clocktower started to ring and the sound echoed throughout the land signaling the top of the hour.

It also signaled the start of the carnival. In typical Golden Saucer fashion, fireworks erupted from all corners of the venue shooting into the sunset sky, bursting into a dazzling display of lights and colors. Cheers erupted from all the patrons as they admired the show.

But Cloud wasn’t watching the fireworks. His eyes were fully entranced by the woman before him, mouth slightly agape. Cloud shook his head discretely in disbelief.

_How does this keep happening?_

This wasn’t the first-time fireworks had gone off when he saw Aerith. He remembered that first time in Wall Market, when Aerith met him wearing what is now known between them as _that_ red dress. He had gone speechless, uttering incoherent sentences and only responded when Aerith had teased him mercilessly for staring for too long. The fireworks then mimicked the feelings that were going on in his heart. This couldn’t just be a coincidence, could it?

She made her way to meet Cloud with a light skip in her step, “Heya!”

As she got closer, Cloud witnessed her beauty up close and his eyes widened in astonishment before he was able to mumble out a few words, “That’s really…”

Aerith tilted her head to the side, looking at him curiously. She realized all too quickly that flabbergasted look on Cloud’s face and decided to have some fun with him. After all, she did spend a tremendous amount of time getting ready for this date.

“I thought I’d wear the other dress that Madame M gave me. She said I could use it on dates,” she said giving a quick twirl to show him the dress before feigning a concerned look after he didn’t show any visible reaction, “Do you not like it?”

“I didn’t say that…” Cloud replied shaking his head slowly, mouth still open.

“So…you do like it!” she said slyly, peering closely at his face just to watch his reaction.

“Of course I do” Cloud whispered while averting his gaze. Aerith caught his words which immediately warmed her heart, and she shyly beamed. That smile shredded through any defense he could muster, and he quickly started slipping into a daydream while she continued talking. He watched as her lips kept moving but her voice seemed to fade away.

_Wow._

That was all he could think of as he lost himself in her eyes. Those emerald pools that always seemed to ensnare him with their brightness, with long lashes that seemed to flutter oh so delicately. The daydream quickly came to a halt as Aerith’s voice finally came through to him as she excitedly asked, “So what do you think?”

Cloud blinked and shook his head, trying to refocus his thoughts. He was caught, what did she ask exactly? She stood there patiently waiting for his response, and he responded with a best estimate to what he thought she had asked, “Uh…I think you look beautiful.”

“Oh!” her cheeks tinged further pink and shone through her makeup as she was caught off guard by his response. “I meant what did you think of my plan for our date tonight?”

His face burned with embarrassment as he forced himself to look away.

_That was not what she was asking._

Thankfully, she changed the topic as she moved in closer.

“You don’t look too bad yourself.” She grinned playfully as she gently pulled on his shirt to help smooth out a wrinkle. “Tell me mister bodyguard, did you get all dressed up just for me?”

He was a fool if he thought she would have stopped her teasing so easily. Her playful tone caused his mind to malfunction itself into a jumbled mess as he looked for a way out of the situation.

“Let me get our tickets!” Cloud’s voice slightly cracked as he quickly handed the gil over to the attendant, still trying to avoid looking directly at her. Aerith couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked in his current state.

“ _Such_ a gentleman” she cooed while he handed her the ticket, “Fine, let me pay for our food later then.”

She poked a finger into his chest, feigning a pout, “If you even try to reach for your gil I’ll be upset.”

Cloud knew better than to argue with her by this point, and simply nodded in agreement. “Yes ma’am.”

“Good. Now let’s go!” She cheered as she hooked her arm around his and lead them into the carnival. Cloud couldn’t help but smile as he followed her closely in through the entrance. The excitement that she exuded was infectious and spread directly into his heart. He wasn’t sure what the evening had in store, but it didn’t matter. As long as he was with her, that was all that he could ever need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you all ready for the carnival?! I have a pretty good idea of what will come next so I don't think it'll take me AS long to write the next chapter. Hopefully it's as fluffy and amazing as I am picturing in my mind. Please leave a comment if you have any thoughts! Thanks again for reading! :)


	4. Carnival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the delay everyone! Work and life have been a bit crazy these days so I haven't had as much time to write. The two finally get to start their date so I hope you all enjoy, and as always please let me know what you think! :)

As they leisurely walked arm in arm through the fairgrounds, Cloud was painfully aware of how close they were to each other. The warmth of Aerith’s arm wrapped around his melted through his usual emotionless self and he couldn’t help but notice how nice it felt to be close to her. He also couldn’t ignore the stares and comments from the people they passed by:

_Is that her boyfriend? They look so cute together!_

_Aww such an adorable couple!_

_Look at the way he’s looking at her. Why don’t you ever look at me like that!_

They were right though; he had been staring at her the whole time. The way she simply radiated underneath the combination of moonlight and incandescent carnival lights drew his focus solely on her.

Aerith turned towards him and smiled bashfully, gauging his reaction as she overheard the same comments as him. She couldn’t help but giggle when she noticed Cloud visibly blushing before he turned away.

“How about we find some food?” She asked as she reached a map of the grounds. “I overheard someone say that the best food vendors in Midgar travel with the carnival.”

Cloud nodded, realizing that he had skipped lunch and forgot to eat anything with all the excitement leading up to tonight.

The two continued on towards the designated location. However, they didn’t need a map to figure out where the food was as they got closer. The air filled will delightful smells of grilled meats and baked goods, causing them both to salivate while they stared at all the options in front of them.

After carefully looking through the aisles of options, they found themselves in front of a cute little mom and pop shop that specialized in noodles and dumplings. Cloud watched as Aerith’s eyes widened with glee while reading over the menu.

“Anything catch your eye?” he asked, genuinely curious as to what Aerith’s other favorite foods were. She had mentioned once in passing that dumplings were her go to comfort food, and he had never forgotten the conversation.

She took a moment to finish reading through the menu a second time, weighing out all the options. “I can’t decide between two noodle dishes they have. It all looks so good!”

Cloud took a moment to appreciate how cute she looked as she pondered her choices and wanted to help make it easier for her.

“How about I order the other dish you want, and we can share?” He suggested. “We can order their dumplings too, that way you can try everything.”

Her eyes softened, and she suddenly felt remorseful. “You don’t have to do that Cloud, you should order what you want.”

“It’s fine.” He said with a shrug, reassuring her with a slight smile. “I’m not a picky eater, I’ll pretty much eat anything.”

Aerith instantly perked up at his words, and she smiled brilliantly. He was always so considerate of what she wanted, and it made her heart soar.

“Well in that case, let’s order them all then.” she said happily, squeezing his arm.

The unexpected contact sent a jolt electricity through his body, and he did his best to act normal.

They patiently waited until they were at the front of the line, and noticed it was an older couple that ran the shop. The husband was busy filling out orders and running back and forth to the kitchen. When he returned, his attention was still on the register in front of him.

“What’ll it be kids?” He asked, without even looking up at them.

Cloud recited all the items that Aerith wanted to eat, and the man looked up in shock at the amount they ordered. It was definitely enough to feed a small family. His eyes instantly went back and forth between the two as if knowing who they were.

“Hey, I recognize you two! You were the winners of the Corneo Cup Tournament, right? My wife and I attended the match and absolutely loved you two.” He said excitedly. “Cloud and Aerith!” 

The man seemed to forget that he was busy organizing the queue of orders as he moved towards the back of the booth to grab his wife, “Mary! It’s that couple from the tournament!”

A jovial lady emerged from behind the curtains a few moments later and her eyes widened as she too recognized the two.

“It’s just wonderful to see you both! We couldn’t stop cheering for you two during the matches. You two make such a great team and it’s always so nice to see such a cute couple together.” She replied exuberantly as she eyed Aerith’s arm wrapped around Cloud’s. “Let me include a dessert, on us of course, we’re so glad we got to meet you in person!”

Cloud was flushed red by this point, trying to comprehend what was happening.

_Cute couple?_

But he made no attempt to correct the lady.

Before he could say anything or reach for his gil, Aerith interjected sweetly, “Thank you so much!” Then she moved in front of Cloud to pay for their food and added a generous tip for the owner’ kindness. They chatted politely with the owners while the food was being prepared and thanked them once again when they picked up the tray packed with noodles dishes and various dumplings, steamed as well as pan fried.

“Come on Cloud, I’m _starving_!” Aerith said enthusiastically.

They both sat down at a small table and immediately dug into the food. Aerith let out a contented sigh as she eagerly eyed all the different foods and made sure that Cloud’s plate was full.

“My mom would always make these noodles back home.” She started as she refilled her plate, “I wonder how everyone is doing in Sector 5…”

Her tone softened and Cloud saw the sadness in her eyes.

“We’ll be back soon.” He said reassuringly as she stared back into his eyes. “I want to try these noodles you keep talking about.”

She radiated a smile, comforted by his words. “They’re the best! I’ll ask Elmyra to make all the different kinds.”

In better spirits, they both continued with their meal.

Cloud watched in awe as Aerith seemed to devour everything in sight. Realizing that he stared for far too long, he looked down at his food and kept eating. A small smile crept onto his face. Even while eating, she was encaptivating.

Once they polished off the noodles and dumplings, the owners brought over dessert, a strawberry mille crepe, which Aerith immediately turned her attention to.

“Here Cloud, you have the first bite.” She said, using a fork to gather the dessert and held it up to his mouth.

Hesitantly, he slowly opened his mouth and she gently fed him. The strawberries and cream melded harmoniously with the crepe, creating the perfect sweetness.

_Similar to her._

His cheeks couldn’t hide his thoughts this time as they tinged a bright red. She giggled at his reaction, “How lucky were we to find this place?” Before taking a bite for herself. “This is my all-time favorite dessert.”

Cloud made a mental note to add to her growing list of favorites before nodding at her with a slight smile.

_It would be._

After finishing their meal, the two decided to walk around and further explore the carnival grounds. Aerith’s eyes were wide in excitement, taking in all the sights that the event had to offer. They made their way further into the center, where they were greeted by the clamoring sounds of various booth games taking place.

Here, vendors would advertise their games to the crowds, tantalizing them to spend gil in order to win some unique prizes not found anywhere else in all of Midgar.

Cloud was just about to ask which game Aerith wanted to try when she let out a scream, “Oh my goodness Cloud! They have Moogles!” She pointed to the darts booth that had a center display of the cute stuffed animals.

“Isn’t that what Moggie was dressed up as in Sector 5?” he questioned, remembering the child that dressed up as a Moogle when they helped out near Aerith’s home. He checked around to see if any other game was giving these away as prizes. “That booth seems to be the only game that’s carrying them.”

Aerith nodded enthusiastically and pointed at the stuffed figurines hanging on top of the stand. “I’ve always wanted one since I was a kid! Let’s try to win one!”

She skipped towards the booth, dragging an off balanced Cloud closely behind her. “How do we win a Moogle?” she exclaimed towards the attendant, amped up with excitement and eyes laser focused on the stuffed animal.

“One bullseye gets one a phoenix down, two gets you a Healing Materia, and three in a row gets you the plushie.” The lady running the booth replied gesturing to the sets of darts already laid out on the counter. Cloud paid for an attempt for the both of them, allowing Aerith to go first. She quickly picked up the three darts and took aim at the target a few meters down the stretch.

The first dart hit just about just shy of the bullseye, and the second one hit even closer. Finally, on her last attempt, Aerith hit dead center. A bell rang and the vendor handed Aerith her prize of a phoenix down. “Darn…almost!” She sighed, clenching her hands gently, but still in high spirits. “Why don’t you give it a try Cloud?”

Cloud nodded slowly and stared intensely at the darts placed in front of him.

 _Just like Seventh Heaven_.

He thought to himself, remembering the countless times he battled to get the number one leaderboard spot against the various AVALANCE members who had set the records before him.

“Do you…need an explanation?” inquired the vendor, noticing Cloud’s expressionless face while he reminisced. Cloud shook off his thoughts and quickly picked up the three darts that were in front of him. He narrowed his eyes and threw each dart without hesitation.

_Bam. Bam. Bam._

All three darts were perfectly spaced apart within the bullseye. Multiple bells rang out this time and sirens went off at the grand prize victory.

An awestruck Aerith yelled out in glee as grabbed onto his arm tightly, “You did it!”

“Yup.” He responded coolly, trying his best to act like he didn’t really want to win a Moogle so badly. He would have kept playing the same game over and over until he won her one, but thankfully he delivered on the first attempt.

The vendor happily handed over the coveted plushie, and Cloud in turn presented it to Aerith.

Her eyes widened, hesitant at his gesture, “Really?! Are you sure? But you won it.”

“Stuffed animals aren’t really my thing.” He acted as nonchalantly as he could, but once again she saw through the façade.

“How about we share Moogle then? He can be our kid!”

Her eyes sparkled as she cutely rubbed noses with the plushie.

“W-what?” Cloud flushed.

_Kid?_

She impishly reveled in the fact that she knew what buttons of his to push. “He definitely has your smile” she teased, pointing at the very faintly upturned lips of the plushie. She then held him next to Cloud’s face and couldn’t help but confirm her observation, “A perfect resemblance!”

He scoffed lightly, as the two began walking towards their next destination.

A dangerous thought crossed his mind as he watched her hug Moogle tightly against her chest, brimming with happiness at her newest companion.

_Too cute._

Cloud knew he was already smitten by her, but it was at that moment he realized just how deep she had imprinted herself onto his heart. Her upbeat personality shining brighter than all the combined darkness in the world. He purposely forced himself to breathe in order to quell the thunderous beating against his ribcage.

_Calm down and breathe Cloud._

He tried to convince himself that this effect was temporary, that it was just a silly crush. That somehow these feelings would disappear the next day.

But his heart knew it was too late - he had fallen for her. It had started slowly at first and then suddenly all at once. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment it happened, for it seemed to be a culmination of events, but that wasn’t important. He knew that it happened unannounced.

He turned to steal a glance, hoping that she didn’t see right through him.

_I wonder how she feels about me?_

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! I am trying to work through this concept, but please let me know your thoughts :)


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